A touching photo of an elderly coronavirus patient and his doctor has recently gone viral, and it’s definitely hitting people right in the warm and fuzzies .
The photo, which appears to have originated through the publication China Daily , shows the 87-year-old patient and his doctor taking a moment to enjoy the sunset together in Wuhan, China — the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
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27-year-old Liu Kai is the doctor who appears in the photo next to the hospital bed.
He explained he was inspired to treat his patient to the sight after noting his poor mental health.
“The elderly man had been stuck in the isolation ward [at Renmin Hospital] for nearly a month, which made him a bit depressed,” Kai told China Daily . “I thought the rays of the sun might cheer him up.”
The doctor went on to say he noticed the beautiful sunset while the pair were making their way back from a CT scan.
Realizing this could be the perfect opportunity to boost his patient’s spirits, and perhaps even his own, Kai wheeled the hospital bed outside.
That way, both he and the elderly man could enjoy the scene.
“Since coming to Wuhan, we have been working shifts around the clock,” the doctor admitted. “I also wanted to enjoy [the sunset] awhile.”
Although they only spent five minutes outside, Kai reported that it was enough to improve the patient’s mood.
Afterwards, the elderly man was wheeled back to his hospital room where he soon fell into a contented sleep.
A photo was snapped of the two watching the sunset together, and has since been shared all over social media, including the popular Chinese microblogging website, Weibo.
On Instagram, the photo was re-posted by the popular Good News Movement account, which shares positive pictures to its over-550k followers.
After just one day, the heartwarming photo, (which incorrectly identifies the setting as Shanghai), has received nearly 68,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
People were clearly moved by the sight of the doctor and his patient.
“These little moments are everything,” one user wrote, while another added, “In times like these, humanity, compassion and love will get us through this.”
Kai said the elderly man was first admitted on February 9, and hasn’t left the hospital since, nor has he felt like talking to anyone.
However, he was able to connect with the man, and learn more about him and his life.
“The patient, who also is a violinist, is now recovering and has begun singing every day,” Kai explained.
“He promises us to perform the song ‘When Will You Return?’ on the day he is discharged.”
He added, “I also made a deal with him to see the cherry blossoms together after the epidemic.”
h/t: China Daily , photo courtesy of Gan Junchao for China Daily
